Need help wring 12 terminal drum switch

[Darren Ford]

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to fix a boat lift that had a 3/4 hp motor running on 110v that was completely filled with dirt dauber nests. I gave up on the motor and bought a new 1hp model. I don't know what kind of boat the previous owner had but mine isn't very big or heavy but the motor won't lift it. The lift is not bound up (I can raise and lower it by hand with the boat on it) and the motor works fine when not connected to the lift, will run the lift down, but just hums when trying to raise.

I have 240v run to the boat house so I was going to try to rewire the new motor to 240 and see if that helps. This is a single phase capacitor start, reversing motor (Weg with T# wiring and thermal protection). The drum switch is old, painted over, unknown brand with 3 positions (forward, off, reverse) and 12 terminals (!). I am having a lot of trouble finding winding diagrams for a 12 terminal drum switch. Most everything online is for a 6 terminal.


I can post photos of the switch and the little piece of paper that was inside with a small section of a wiring diagram surviving.

Can anyone help?

edit: Sorry it looks like I put this in the wrong section and I don't know how to delete it. Can mods move it?

[David Buchhauser]

Hi Darren,
Yes - it would be helpful if you could post the photos of the switch as well as the wiring diagram. Also a photo of the nameplate on the new motor. Is the new motor 220V or 110V?
Thanks,
David

[John K Jordan]

If the power line to the motor is a long run a 110v motor may very well struggle if the wire is undersized for the load due to the voltage drop. In that case converting to 220v may help. You can look up or use an on-line calculator to see the wire size needed for that length and load.

But I'm not sure I'd give up on the old motor yet. I'm trying to imagine how the mud from the wasps could permanently damage the motor. Maybe try disassembling and cleaning.

BTW, to where did you want to move this, to the Off Topic section?

JKJ

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to fix a boat lift that had a 3/4 hp motor running on 110v that was completely filled with dirt dauber nests. I gave up on the motor and bought a new 1hp model. I don't know what kind of boat the previous owner had but mine isn't very big or heavy but the motor won't lift it. The lift is not bound up (I can raise and lower it by hand with the boat on it) and the motor works fine when not connected to the lift, will run the lift down, but just hums when trying to raise.

I have 240v run to the boat house so I was going to try to rewire the new motor to 240 and see if that helps. This is a single phase capacitor start, reversing motor (Weg with T# wiring and thermal protection). The drum switch is old, painted over, unknown brand with 3 positions (forward, off, reverse) and 12 terminals (!). I am having a lot of trouble finding winding diagrams for a 12 terminal drum switch. Most everything online is for a 6 terminal.


I can post photos of the switch and the little piece of paper that was inside with a small section of a wiring diagram surviving.

Can anyone help?

edit: Sorry it looks like I put this in the wrong section and I don't know how to delete it. Can mods move it?

[Darren Ford]

Thanks for the replies. I wired the motor direct to the breaker at 240v and it lifts the boat fine. I went ahead and ordered a new 6 terminal drum switch since those seem to be well documented online.

John, I gave up on the old motor for this duty as I needed something I could trust (and my brand new boat was leaking and trying to sink on me and needed to be lifted asap). I don't know if thats the only problem with it or not. I plan to give it a good cleaning and find another use for it around the shop if I get it working.

Thanks again everyone.

P.S. Sorry for the late response. I was typing this earlier today and when I hit save is right when SMC went down.